BJP leaders stopped from meeting relatives of murder victim in HP, party announces protest
Earlier in the day, Jai Ram Thakur demanded an NIA investigation into the case.
SHIMLA: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and state BJP president Rajiv Mandal were not allowed to enter the Salooni area of Himachal Pradesh after a mob burned down the house of an alleged murder accused.
He was stopped by the police on the border of Salooni where section 144 has been imposed.
“This incident has shocked the nation. After the incident, there has been anger among the locals. We must not be stopped from meeting the victim’s family,” he told.
The BJP has announced a state-wide protest.
Earlier in the day, he demanded an NIA investigation into the case.
On Thursday, a mob burned down the house of Musafir Hussain, accused of murdering a 28-year-old Dalit man, prompting authorities to impose prohibitory orders restricting people’s movement to prevent further flare-ups.
Chamba SP Abhishek Yadav said there was no casualty in the incident. The people have arrested about 10 people who were involved in the burning of the house.
Tensions erupted in Salooni after Manohar, a 28-year-old Dalit man, was allegedly killed and chopped into pieces by Musafir Hussain.
Hussain, who is currently in jail, had allegedly invited Manohar to his house and beat him up with a stick till he fainted and afterwards chopped his body into eight pieces and dumped them into a drain.
Since the murder, police have arrested three people, including Hussain. The other two accused are Farida, Hussain’s wife, and Shabir.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu called the killing and subsequent burning of the house unfortunate and not in tune with the “Dev Sanskriti” of Himachal.
He said “the culprits” have already been arrested and if the opposition wants an NIA probe into the matter, he has no objection to it.
“This is a very sensitive matter and the opposition BJP should not try to create tension and drive political mileage from this incident,” Sukhu said.
Sukhu also reviewed the law and order and held a meeting with all deputy commissioners and superintendents of police over the Salooni incident and directed them to keep a strict vigil.
Meanwhile, in a statement, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla said strict action should be ensured against those involved in the heinous crime.
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